Be the best. Work hard. Work fast. Work clean
These words are the first thing you read when you land on the website of Restaurant Sat Bains Restaurant Sat Bains, a Michelin two star restaurant, with an additional green star https://guide.michelin.com/gb/en/article/features/what-is-the-michelin-green-star-and-how-do-you-earn-one recognising excellence in sustainability.
“We use a closed-loop composter to turn food waste into fertiliser for our urban kitchen garden. Honey comes from our own beehives, we collect rainwater, and solar panels provide us with power. Our team work a 4-day week.” — Sat Bains
Alison had booked dinner and an overnight stay as a belated celebration for a significant birthday – this isn’t the kind of place most people go to just because it’s Thursday. So, we have to preface what you’re about to read by clarifying that Restaurant Sat Bains has the prices to match its very high standards. You go there expecting it to be good. But my goodness, was it GOOD.
The food was amazing, of course. But what really struck us was how utterly brilliant everyone, and everything was. Every single person in the 40-strong team knew exactly what was expected of them, and they were obviously really happy to be doing it. We met and spoke with waiters, concierges, gardeners, housekeeping, pot washers, the head chef, and the main man Sat himself, and all of them were not only genuinely pleased to chat, but genuinely interested in us.
Be more John
Now, regular readers will know that inspiration for Onswitch blogs can come from anywhere, whether it’s having new carpets fitted or enjoying a birthday treat, there are lessons everywhere for veterinary practices. And what really struck us at Restaurant Sat Bains (promise we are not receiving anything from them for this glowing review), was that the details were consistently there at every turn. Everywhere was calm and clean. We ate two of the courses of the tasing menu away from our table, one in the greenhouse and one in the kitchen. In the greenhouse, a young trainee chef talked to us about the micro herbs they grow, and the process of turning them into the pesto dressing we enjoyed. She was coached throughout by the head chef John, who was as supportive and encouraging as you could ever want your boss to be in front of the paying customers. Perhaps you’re thinking about how mentoring and development happens in your practice right now? We are.
Of course, of course, this is a super-premium experience we’re talking about, not a busy small animal operating list when you’re a nurse down and your back hurts. But we all know what a stressy, shouty world hospitality is, especially at the top end. (Gordon Ramsey, we’re looking at you). These guys are doing it differently. They recruit good people and they treat them well, trust them and coach them to do great things.
Details matter
Our waiter had been at RSB for six months, but prior to that had worked in many other hospitality establishments. We asked him what was different here, and without hesitating, and clearly with belief, he said that they get the details right. From there all the dots join up and everything else follows. Get the details right. Ultimately it’s not about the £30k composter or the Aesop toiletries, it’s about making sure you have the best people who are enabled by the right processes. Great people need to love what they do and feel supported in order to show up to work every day as great people. Fill your team with people who get it, who understand the culture and ethos of your practice and live it every day.
Another member of the Onswitch team currently has a relative in respite care, and she’s had the same experience with the team there. The gardener and maintenance man already know their mum’s name and stop to chat, people who you might not think of as a core part of the team, but who wear the same name badges and give off the same sense of family and support. They get it too – details matter.
“Coming together is a beginning, staying together is progress, and working together is success” Henry Ford
Onswitch have worked with countless practice teams to help them rediscover their mojos and bond through a shared understanding of what excellent looks and feels like. We can tailor our in-person workshops https://onswitch.co.uk/product/in-person-training to suit your needs, engaging everybody in your team and refocusing them on the core principles that hold everything else together. If you’d like to discuss how we can help, then why not give us a call on 01476 565343 or send us a message here https://onswitch.co.uk/contact
